|
Senator Bosi, General Bellini, it
is for me a pleasure to see you again, dear General,
Excellencies, honourable guests, it is a pleasure to see
familiar faces coming from the Balkans. It is an honour and a
pleasure for me to be here today, to represent the practical
perspective of the MSU commanders, of the Carabinieri's
capacities, what they can really do and what they contribute
to a commander during an operation. The Carabinieri are a
very flexible tool for a commander; they are like a velvet
glove in a context that may sometimes require the Commander's
fist. Moreover, in Bosnia, the uniforms of the Carabinieri of
the MSU are the most beautiful. For us, in America, it is
very important to speak of the MSU because it means speaking
of capacities, flexibility, mobility and stability. These are
the qualities a commander requires, qualities that belong to
an MSU, especially in Bosnia-Herzegovina and particularly for
what concerns the SFOR. I must say that the SFOR, counted
60.000 men 8 years ago and has gradually reduced the number
of soldiers, thus returning to a more conventional
role.
The presence of
the Carabinieri, instead, their capacity and that of the MSU has
remained steady in time. I also wish to add that the Carabinieri,
as an organization, are far more complex than what we may believe.
If we look into the Slovenian, Hungarian and now also Rumanian
contributions (Austria will soon contribute too) to the MSU, we
understand the complexity of the MSU, as well as the further
qualities it will express in the future. In Bosnia, this tool is
not only self-sufficient, but very mobile as well. The Carabinieri
MSU is self-sufficient and capable of carrying out the mission it
is assigned and any connected task: in particular, it gives the
commander a unitarian picture of the situation, thanks to the
collection and analysis of the information it acquires. This is one
of the aspects the MSU has always guaranteed to the SFOR commander
and represents the capacity to operate in any place throughout the
country, even beyond the various boundaries and sectors. It greatly
contributes to the success of the mission with its capacities and
flexibility and is proved day after day.
What is ever
clearer is that I myself as SFOR Commander (during the last 6
months), with the task of observing the Balkan situation, have
always been able to rely on the MSU as the main character in the
play. This gave me great confidence in facing my responsibilities
Some of the MSU's capacities include versatility, the ability to
face any theatre, because the MSU allows a commander to understand
the situation in which he has to act. The men in the MSU have a
good knowledge of the culture and the people. In the Balkans, for
instance, there are many cultures, different ethnic groups, several
religions that must be understood and observed day by day, because
they represent a difficult reality to cope with. This is all part
of the characteristics offered by an MSU, which has the necessary
equipment and components capable of employing it and who want to
use these tools.
30 This allows
us to give a controlled response and carry out our mission in a
rather insecure environment because the MSU is in a position to
guarantee security. In Bosnia and Herzegovina there are very few
missions without the MSU's participation. Moreover, I rely on the
Carabinieri, their wisdom and their knowledge of the situation. I
would also like to praise your Commander because he is a great
commander: he is someone you can most certainly trust, someone who
knows how to enhance our capacities. In Bosnia-Herzegovina no other
unit can guarantee as much flexibility as the MSU. We are there to
build a democratic, pluralist country and have to take care of the
people; the MSU is in daily contact with the people, with the local
community. It is widespread throughout the country and reaches the
remotest corner because its men are free to act as they think best
to get in touch with each inhabitant of the country. We are talking
of peace operations, of operations in support of peace (when we
started, in Bosnia, we took care of peace making).
We are also
talking of peace support, everything that implies humanitarian
means, law formation, and fight against crime and corruption. This
requires facing the situation with a juridical outlook; a unique
capacity that is not generally found in a conventional context.
Here again you need flexibility in military capacities. When we
first went to the Balkans, we had to carry out a pacifying
activity. We stopped and separated the belligerents and were thus
able to begin our peace-keeping mission. We then started our
function of establishing a presence in the country. We are now at a
transition stage, we continue to assess the environment and the
context, we have to guarantee security and stability and then we
can diminish the conventional military presence. We are beginning
to speak of support to peace operations that also foresee the use
of local forces. The MSU is mentoring and training local police and
knows how to do this; it knows the right way to do this, which is a
superior model.
In this the
Carabinieri give a further remarkable contribution with their
experience and their know-how and they thus help the growth of
local institutions, which is absolutely vital in this country. I am
very proud of this MSU: were I young, I would consider the
possibility of entering this unit because it seems a really
excellent unit; we should promote and publicize what the MSU has
done so far. One night, in Kosovo, Admiral Johnson, called me
around 1,15 in the morning; he wanted help: "what can you send
here, in such an unstable environment?". I answered: "Of course, we
have something to send you". "And when can it arrive? A plane is
available at 8 o'clock". I answered that an MSU could arrive much
earlier and this is exactly what happened. Thus, as a Commander
that has to decide what to do, it is important for me to be able to
rely on the MSU; it gives us confidence and contributes with its
enthusiasm and determination, because the MSU is always ready to
carry out its tasks and always at the highest level.
I have always
trusted the MSU without the slightest hesitation and have always
relied on the readiness of its men and their determination in
operating. I would like to thank the Italian authorities for the
support given by the government and the entire Italian population.
There is an element linking all of us and that is the desire to
sustain fair causes, but we also have to have the capacity to act
and I know that you have this capacity. I know I can rely on the
MSU. For instance, when the Admiral called me I was sure I could
rely on the MSU and in 15 minutes the MSU was ready to deploy the
first unit in Kosovo, in times of crisis, of necessity. And this is
what this meant: I spoke to Admiral Johnson, to the country's Chief
of Staff, and the first elements to arrive on the terrain, the
first elements that started transmitting the symbol of NATO
solidarity and capacity were those of the MSU. A truly exceptional
result! Believe me, Ladies and Gentlemen, here the MSU showed all
its flexibility. Had the Carabinieri not been inserted into the
military structure, they would not have been able to guarantee the
same efficiency.
The MSU has the
ability to wear a velvet glove, but the fist of the commander
remains. The MSU has played a very important role in the insecure
environment in which we operate. We can rely on the MSU also thanks
to its investigative capacity and this Unit's contribution to the
development of democracy and the fight against crime. Nine
important operations have been carried out: the MSU, for instance,
seized huge quantities of weapons: it acted with great
determination. Its components know how to work with the community
and within the military structure. Day by day I learnt to trust the
MSU, which allowed its commander to work well and which is a tool
which a commander knows he can rely on. It is a military structure
that knows how to operate without conditions or hindrances, in
difficult situations such as those in the Balkans and Bosnia. Thank
you very much.
(*) - Major General of the
United States Army. |
